Under French law, the special status means magistrates have reason to suspect the men were more than simple witnesses and were involved in wrongdoing but don’t have enough evidence to file preliminary charges (Picture: Backgrid; Getty)

Six Paris firefighters who were branded ‘heroes’ after tackling the Notre Dame cathedral blaze are under investigation based on allegations of gang rape in a city firehouse.

The Paris prosecutor’s office said the suspects were taken into custody as part of a judicial inquiry into gang rape or failure to prevent a crime.

The six were presented to a judge Monday who named them all as ‘assisted witnesses’ in the case, according to the prosecutor’s office.

Under French law, the special status means magistrates have reason to suspect the men were more than simple witnesses and were involved in wrongdoing but don’t have enough evidence to file preliminary charges.

The six were then released pending further investigation.

The Paris prosecutor’s office said the suspects were taken into custody as part of a judicial inquiry into gang rape or failure to prevent a crime (Picture: Backgrid)

Paris firefighters are members of the French military (Picture: REX)

Gabriel Plus, a spokesman for the Paris Fire Brigade, said all of the suspects had been suspended and the allegations were ‘against the values upheld by Paris firefighters who must be exemplary’.

A police official said a Norwegian student filed a complaint Saturday for alleged rape at a fire station in the Plaisance district of southern Paris.

French newspaper Le Parisien reported that the woman told police she had consensual sex with one firefighter but then was raped by several others.

The accusation came just weeks after Paris firefighters were hailed as heroes for all-night efforts to save Notre Dame Cathedral from a devastating fire.